American film director, screenwriter, and producer, one of the hot-shot young directors of the ’70s along with Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and George Lucas. While other directors quickly developed their film styles and themes, De Palma preferred to imitate his idol Alfred Hitchcock. Critics in the ’70s and ’80s condemned De Palma’s blatant borrowing of Hitchcock themes and his violent treatment of killing women in ever more gruesome ways in his films. His controversial films “Carrie,” 1976, “Dressed to Kill,” 1980, “The Untouchables,” 1987 and “Mission Impossible” in 1996 have been the stars of his film career. Fascinated by the dark and hidden, he translates nightmares into film relentlessly and stylishly. He writes or co-writes about half of his films and much of the technical refinements himself. A driven perfectionist, he is remote and haunted while the production is in process.
De Palma was the son of a Philadelphia surgeon. He had a strong sibling rivalry with his brothers and was haunted by his father’s marital infidelities. He enjoyed science and as a child was already a Hitchcock fan. De Palma gained access to the film industry with his work in underground theater and films.
On 11/22/1963, De Palma watched in horror with his date, actress Jill Clayburgh, the news coverage of the Kennedy assassination. After De Palma became a film director, the Kennedy investigation shaped the director into fitting into the cinema of cynicism. He made his director’s debut in “Greetings” in 1968. He worked with Al Pacino in “Scarface,” 1983 and “Carlito’s Way” in 1993. He directed Sean Connery in his Oscar winning performance as Best Supporting Actor in 1987’s “The Untouchables.”
De Palma’s first wife was the actress Gale Anne Hurd. The stock, salt-and-pepper bearded director married actress Nancy Allen in 1979. She appeared in his films, “Carrie,” “Home Movies,” 1979, “Dressed to Kill,” and “Blow Out” in 1981. The couple divorced in 1983. He has a daughter, Piper De Palma born on 10/21/1996 from his third marriage to Darnell De Palma which lasted from 1995-1997 and ended in divorce. De Palma was the godfather to Steven Speilberg’s son, Max Speilberg. He avoids Hollywood’s drug use and party scenes.
Link to Wikipedia biography